1. Field of Invention
The subject invention is generally related to nightsticks, batons and intermediate impact weapons and is specifically directed to an expandable baton for use by law enforcement personnel, and the method of making same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Nightsticks and batons are well known and have gained widespread acceptance as intermediate force weapons for use by law enforcement personnel. One of the best known of these weapons is the ASP Expandable Baton manufactured by Armament Systems and Procedures, the assignee of the subject application, and disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,110,375, 5,149,092, and 5,348,297. Typically, the ASP Baton includes three telescoping sections, the outer, largest section defining a handle adapted for receiving and nesting the remaining sections when the baton is in a collapsed position. In this position, the baton is approximately 8 to 10 inches long and can be carried by law enforcement personnel in a suitable sheath or scabbard on the belt of the uniform. The baton is adapted to be drawn quickly from the sheath and opened in a swinging action for whipping the nested sections out to an extended position and locking them in position for use as an intermediate force weapon.
Over the years, it has been determined that the expandable batons required for use by law enforcement personnel must be of sufficient strength and durability to eliminate the sections from separating and "flying apart" when the baton is whipped open, particularly after repeated uses. In addition, it has been found that the deadlock taper joint for frictionally locking the telescoping sections in the extended position must be of a sufficient hardness to assure good friction without extensive deformation, extending the life of the baton while at the same time eliminating the tendency of the baton to bend or crack at the various joints. The ASP Baton was the first baton to address many of these issues and utilizes a hardened, heat treated steel alloy for assuring proper function and durability, as required by law enforcement personnel.
While the ASP Baton has greatly advanced the art relating to intermediate force weapons, its major drawback is the additional weight the baton adds to the standard issue equipment a law enforcement officer must carry on his person while on duty. Typically, law enforcement personnel carry portable two-way radios, firearms, ammunition, handcuffs, chemical irritants, and flashlights in addition to the intermediate force baton. When all of this equipment is positioned on the belt of the officer or elsewhere on his uniform, it adds substantially to the weight of the uniform and at times can become quite cumbersome. In an effort to reduce the weight requirements there has been a continuing move toward lighter weight equipment without sacrificing function. For example, many uniforms now have nylon issue belts rather than leather, the two-way radios have routinely become smaller and lighter in weight with the continuing development of solid state electronics. New battery sources and high intensity lamps have permitted flashlights to become smaller and lighter in weight. Side arms have continually gotten smaller and lighter in weight and are made of more exotic, lighter weight materials than their predecessors. Therefore, it is desirable to provide an intermediate force weapon which also contributes to the efforts to reduce the weight of equipment carried by law enforcement personnel.
While the ASP Baton continues to meet and exceed the functional requirements of law enforcement agencies, it would be desirable to reconfigure the baton to provide a reduction in weight without a loss of function. Several attempts have been undertaken to resolve this problem. For example, a functional baton can be made out of a lightweight material such as aluminum. However, the lightweight material, while properly locking and resisting bending has not proven successful, even with its dramatic weight advantage, because of the drop in striking force particularly when used in a swinging fashion.
When a law enforcement officer attempts to restrain an individual through a swinging action, the amount of force associated with the swing is attributable to the centrifugal force generated at the tip of the baton. Thus, the greater the weight of the baton and the longer the baton, the greater the tip swinging force. Expandable batons, permitting a 9 inch stowed weapon to be expanded to approximately 26 inches, have greatly increased the length of the weapons usable by the law enforcement officer and have permitted a dramatic increase in the inertia provided by the weapon when used in a swinging fashion. In addition, the steel weight has also contributed greatly to the swinging force generated by the weapon. By substituting a lightweight material such as aluminum for the baton, the second factor of the equation has been reduced, resulting in a lower impact force generated by the swinging action.
More recently, ASP has introduced a lightweight expandable baton wherein the various sections of the baton are made of dissimilar materials, permitting the baton to be lighter in weight while at the same time maintaining the durability and strike force capability of the heavier steel baton. This baton is shown and described in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,139. The baton there shown recognizes that the strike force is primarily created by the centrifugal force generated by the mass at the tip of the baton. Therefore, the handle section and/or the intermediate sections can be made of a lightweight material without greatly altering the impact force of the baton as long as the outer mass of the baton is maintained. While this baton has greatly improved the functionality of lightweight weapons, there is some reduction in the locking force and strength of the baton due to the use of lighter weight, lower strength materials such as aluminum. While it is possible to overcome this minor disadvantage by using more exotic light weight materials, the cost disadvantages make such solutions prohibitive.
Therefore, there remains a need for a lightweight, expandable, intermediate force baton for use by law enforcement personnel which maintains the strike force capability of prior art batons while at the same time greatly reducing the weight of the weapon, wherein the joint strength is not sacrificed and the overall costs of the weapon are competitive with prior art batons or art batons.